What do you do when doubt feels louder than faith? In a world that feels increasingly uncertain, where change is the only constant, how do we find something solid to hold onto?

In this episode, we sit down with Courtney Reissig—author, Bible teacher, high school educator, and mom of four boys—to talk about her book Someone to Believe In and why the Gospel of John matters more than ever. Courtney brings a unique perspective as both a scholar and a mom in the trenches. Whether you’re wrestling with your own questions, parenting kids through doubt, or searching for contentment, this conversation is packed with wisdom, honesty, and hope.

Key Takeaways:

1. Questions aren’t a sign of weak faith. Doubts are invitations to go deeper—Jesus meets you there.

2. Success is faithfulness, not applause. The unseen work matters.

3. You were made for more than comfort. There is someone worth believing in yesterday, today, tomorrow (and forever).

Resources Mentioned:

• Someone to Believe In by Courtney Reissig

• Instagram @courtneyreissig

If this episode encouraged you, please leave a review—it helps others find these conversations. And if you know someone wrestling with doubt or navigating a hard season, share this episode. It might be exactly what they need today. Then, come follow along on instagram @annicafischer.

What does it take to raise boys who grow into men of courage, character, and purpose in a world that breeds passivity and isolation? In this episode, J. Josh Smith shares practical wisdom from his new book The Man for the Day, revealing how to fight passivity, cultivate virtue, and help young men discover their God-given purpose—starting today.

Whether you’re raising sons or mentoring young men this conversation will challenge you to rethink biblical manhood and give you actionable steps to make a lasting impact.

We discuss:

• The two biggest enemies of modern manhood - isolation and passivity
• Direction over distance: a new definition of success
• The gap in the formation of this next generation
• How to identify and address passivity in your son's life
• Practical wisdom for parents navigating a generation shaped by instant gratification, isolation, and digital passivity
• Small daily decisions and how they'll shape the men they’ll become
• How boys don't need any more shame — how hopeful, clear guidance shapes men more than criticism ever will
• The critical conversations about manhood that most boys aren't getting

• The starter pack every young man needs

ABOUT JOSH SMITH: Josh Smith is the pastor of Prince Avenue Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia, and father to five children (four daughters and one son). For 20 years, he has been passionate about investing in men and helping them become who God has called them to be. He is the author of The Titus Ten: Foundations for Godly Manhood and its student edition, as well as the new release The Man for the Day: Answering the Call to Godly Manhood

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• The Man for the Day by J. Josh Smith (Available January 2025)

• The Titus 10 by J. Josh Smith (Student Edition now available)

If you're new here, welcome! Please take a few, quick seconds to leave a review, subscribe and follow along on Instagram @annicafischer.

What do you do when your worst nightmare becomes reality? When Amber Smith's three-year-old son River drowned in a tragic accident, her world shattered in an instant. But on the bathroom floor—in her darkest moments of grief—she discovered a faith that would transform her pain into purpose.

In this raw and powerful conversation, Amber shares her journey from worldly happiness to deep spiritual transformation, revealing how she and her husband Granger Smith (country music artist) chose to fight for their marriage when statistics said they wouldn't make it. She opens up about the "beacons in the breaking"—small glimpses of light that appeared even in the hospital—and how studying Scripture became the anchor that held her together.

If you're walking through grief, questioning God's goodness, or wondering if you'll ever smile again, this episode offers hope. Amber's story is evidence that the worst thing to happen to you doesn't have to be the end of your story.

Resources Mentioned:

• Book: The Girl on the Bathroom Floor by Amber Smith
• Book: Like a River by Granger Smith
• The River Kelly Fund (riverkellyfund.org)
• Amber's Podcast - Arise with Amber
• I Am Second video featuring Amber and Granger's story
• Bible Project on YouTube/Podcast
• Follow Amber on Instagram @amberemilysmith

If you're new to the podcast, glad you're here. Please leave a review and let me know what you think! Hope this conversation encouraged you - don't forget to share this conversation with someone who needs it today.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about how to stop spiraling in control, comparison, and “what if” thinking—and start gently rewiring your brain for real, lasting joy.

I’m so excited to welcome back Nicole Zasowski, marriage and family therapist and author, Nicole blends neuroscience, emotional health, and faith in a way that helps women release anxiety, perfectionism, and the pressure to hold everything together—so they can build healthier relationships, experience emotional wholeness, and live with more freedom and joy.

Here’s the freeing truth she shares: if you’re stuck in blame, shame, control, or escape, it doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means your brain is doing what it learned to do to keep you safe. Anxiety, control, and comparison aren’t personal failures—they’re your brain’s default wiring—and you can change it.

Nicole walks us through her 4-Step Framework:

1. Name what you’re feeling
2. Notice your default response: blame, shame, control, or escape
3. Claim the truth about that feeling
4. Choose a response that fosters connection, courage, and freedom

We also talk about how celebrating others’ wins—even when it’s hard—can unlock your own joy, why perfectionism and comparison steal happiness, and how joy can feel vulnerable when we’re used to protecting ourselves.

By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to:

• Stop spiraling in “what if” thinking
• Release blame, shame, and control
• Rewire your brain through small, intentional practices
• Celebrate others without diminishing yourself
• Build healthier, more honest relationships
• Redefine success as congruence and courage, not perfection and balance.

The heart of this conversation is simple: you don’t feel your way into change—you practice your way there. Practicing truth before you feel it isn’t pretending. It’s formation—and it’s how your brain actually changes.

Resources mentioned:

• Nicole Zasowski books: Daring Joy, What if It's Wonderful?, From Lost to Found: Giving Up What You Think You Want for What Will Set You Free
• Previous Tried & Truth Episode with Nicole: Releasing Fears and Finding the courage to Celebrate with Nicole Zasowski

Love this episode? Share it with someone who needs to hear it or leave a review.

Follow me on Instagram @annicafischer for more insights, takeaways, and practical tips from some incredible guests.

What if the secret to more joy, presence, and meaning is actually… less? In this episode, we sit down with Cait Flanders, author, writer, and experimenter, who shares her radical journey of not buying anything for a year, opting out of defaults and drinking for a season and the surprising lessons she learned along the way.

In This Episode:

• [2:25] Why Cait decided to stop buying anything for a year—and what she was (and wasn’t) allowed to purchase
• [7:01]The emotional rollercoaster of facing feelings without the usual distractions of shopping, drinking, or scrolling
• How opting out of “more” led to deeper self-awareness, shifts in relationships, presence over possessions, and a new definition of success
• [11:00] The real ups and downs of minimalism (the honest disclaimer) and why true change is harder (and more rewarding) than it looks on social media
• Recognizing the invisible undercurrent of spending required just to "maintain" our identities.
• [26:00]How letting go of old ideals and habits can open the door to new experiences, opportunities, and joy
• The journey behind Cait’s books and writing - “The Year of Less” and “Adventure in Opting Out”
• [31:05] Life as an Experiment: Moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset where every decision is just data for your next adventure.
• [41:10] Takeaways from this conversation

--Favorite quotes from this conversation--

“I cried a lot. I had to feel my feelings because I could not numb out.”

“Spending became the thing I was reaching for next after quitting drinking.”

“Anytime you have a value shift, your relationships shift.”

“We have this grip on so many things…but as soon as we open this grip, we get to experience something new.”

“Did I enjoy the simple things today? Did I feel like myself today?”

“It is hard to change your life, you know? It can be incredibly isolating.”

“If you can find one person who loves you so much they’ll keep encouraging you, hold on dearly to that person.”

“Success is the ability to see what we already have and what’s all around us.”

Connect with Kate:

• Substack: The Lighthouse
• Instagram: @caitflanders

If this episode inspired you, please subscribe, rate, and review the show! Share your biggest takeaway and let me know what you’re letting go of next.

In this season wrap-up and “best of” episode of The Tried and Truth Podcast, we reflect on the most meaningful conversations from the past few months, lessons, and themes that shaped this season. From awareness and intentional living to vulnerability, community, dreams reborn and pursued, and anchored hope, this episode brings together the wisdom that stayed with us long after we listened.

This wrap-up episode is an invitation to pause, reflect, and step into what’s next, starting right where you are. You'll hear takeaways such as:

• Why awareness changes everything—and how you can’t change what you don’t notice
• How comparison quietly kills momentum and why simple can be sacred
• The power of tiny tweaks over big life overhauls
• Why healing, growth, and faith don’t happen in isolation
• What it looks like to hold onto dreams and callings—especially when progress feels slow, the path isn’t clear, or the work requires courage, faith, and small, unseen steps.
• The difference between boundaries and walls—and how to protect your heart without closing it
• How vulnerability creates deeper connection and meaningful community
• Why your past may shape you, but it does not define your story
• What it looks like to choose hope—even in uncertain or “hopeful-ish” seasons

As you move into this new season, ask yourself: What is one small, hope-filled step I can take next towards greater intention, pursuing my dreams, growing personally and professionally, living more anchored in what matters most?

If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend—and thank you for being part of The Tried and Truth Podcast.

And don't forget...

> Come follow along on Instagram @annicafischer

> Subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss out on any of the power-filled conversations ahead.

> Let me know what you think! Leave a review and share your thoughts!

In today’s episode, Annica sits down with Caroline Shankle, author of The Lion and the Bear: A 100 Day Guide to Facing Your Giants, to talk about the real struggles girls face growing up—and how faith, perspective, and a safe place to land can change everything.

In this conversation you’ll hear Caroline share more on:

• Writing a 100-day devotional while still processing her own heartbreak and insecurity
• Growing up in the “wild west” of social media and how comparison hits teens
• The Death of the Awkward Phase: the "perfection pressure" social media plays earlier than ever
• What parents often misunderstand about grumpy, emotional kids after school and what it means to be a safe place for our kids to land.
• The meaning behind “the lion and the bear” and how small struggles prepare us for future giants
• Why “you are not too much” might be the message every girl (or woman) needs to hear

This episode is especially meaningful for:

• Parents raising middle schoolers, high schoolers, or college-aged kids (especially girls)
• Women who mentor or care deeply about the next generation
• Anyone navigating insecurity, comparison, or a hard season and wondering if it’s shaping something bigger

Connect with Caroline: Instagram: @carolineshankle

Get the book: The Lion and the Bear: A 100-Day Guide for Facing Your Giants

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If this conversation encouraged you, consider sharing it with a daughter, friend, or young woman who needs it! And would love for you to please leave a review - let me know what you thought about this episode :)

What does it look like to hold onto hope even if it feels “hopeful-ish”?

In this honest and encouraging conversation, Annica sits down with author Scarlet Hiltibidal to talk about her latest book, Hopeful-ish - the kind of hope that wrestles with grief, disappointment, weariness, and unanswered questions, yet still choose to cling to faith.

Scarlet opens up about the personal story behind her book: a season marked by loss, family tragedy, pregnancy after a decade, and walking alongside her mother through stage-four cancer. She shares what it truly means to live with hope when comfort fails, identity feels stripped away, and obedience feels costly.

This episode is for anyone navigating hard seasons, burnout, grief, or spiritual weariness, and wondering if real hope is possible. You’ll hear more about...

• The story behind Scarlet’s book "Hopeful(ish)" and the reality of living with sadness and hope side by side
• How personal loss and unexpected blessings shaped her perspective
• The difference between comfort-seeking and true comfort and how modern self-care doesn’t always heal what’s hurting
• Why community, vulnerability, and choosing to show up matter
• Practical ways to hold onto hope and joy, even in the hardest seasons
• How obedience can unlock joy — even when it feels inconvenient
• Letting go of performance, productivity, and spiritual perfection.

Whether you’re feeling weary, searching for encouragement, or simply want to hear a story of faith in the trenches, this episode will remind you: you’re not alone, and hope is possible, even it it feels “hopeful-ish”.

You can follow Scarlet on Instagram @scarlethiltibidal or check out her latest (or other) books>>>

* Hopeful-ish: Sadness, Weariness, Donkey Attacks, More Sadness, and Other Stuff You Need the Gospel For

*Afraid of All the Things: Tornadoes, Cancer, Adoption, and Other Stuff you Need the Gospel For

*You're the Worst Person in the World: Why It's the Best News Ever that You Don't Have it Together, You Aren't Enough, and You Can't Fix It on Your Own

*He Numbered the Pores on My Face: Hottie Lists, Clogged Pores, Eating Disorders, and Freedom from It All